Horrible Shop Experience! Need Advice

[kindafast2]

Hey guys!

So here it is, a little long:
I got into a minor wreck and was told by my appraiser that this shop would be able to start working on my car ASAP! Unfortunately that was not the case.

Instead of ordering all the parts at once from day one, like it was written on the estimate, this shop put some of the items on order several weeks after the appraisal. And as I found out later there were still parts that they haven't ordered. It turned out (or at least this is what this shop told me) that a lot of these parts were on national back order and had to be special ordered from Germany.
More than a month down the road some of the parts are still not ordered, which were on the original appraisal dating to more than a month back. The shop's manager told me that some of the parts are still on back order, yet a few weeks earlier one of his employees told me they already had those parts... For the fifth week in a row, when I call, I keep hearing the same thing: "We can't promise you anything, but let's hope next week it will be ready".
One day I just got tired of waiting and "hoping", so I went over there and I inquired the manager about what I listed above, he immediately got defensive with me; I am paraphrasing him - "Do not talk to me like we are not doing anything here, we are finding more and more things wrong with your car, parts are on back order!". I clarified myself, that my problem was not with the new broken parts they found (that were not on the original appraisal) but with the ones on the FIRST appraisal that they started ordering weeks later, some of which are very common (wheel and tire) yet still not there. In addition I asked him why his employee told me one thing and he is telling me another.
This is how he replied: "I am done talking to you" and walked away. Keep in mind, this is the guy in charge there. I was very professional and calm from the start to the end of our converstaion. I knew that I would be putting him in the corner with those questions, but his reaction was totally uncalled for and completely unacceptable for someone who is supposed to run a business and deal with customers.
I called my insurance appraiser and told him what happened, that I wanted the car out of that shop immediately, and that I did not want them to work on my car anymore. The appraiser said that he understands me, but he can not do anything...

So here is where I need some advice:
Do I have any legal rights in this case? Or am I seriously supposed to idly sit by and "hope" that some shady a-hole fixes my M3?

Sorry for the long post, I thought I would make it as detailed as possible to get a good reply.

[SamS]

Yikes! That's a bad spot to be in, especially since you've ruffled the feathers of the person/persons ultimately responsible for getting your car back to as-new condition. I would have (and recommend, go forward) running everything through your insurance co. That's what their job is.

[SergioPark]

For me, I would lawyer up first and then have my lawyer deal with it from that point forward. However, I should point out that we have group legal at work, so I don't have an out of pocket.

You could try to work with your insurance company directly to have this resolved. You pay them a lot of money to handle your car issues and they should be able to help you get your car out of that shop and into a reputable one.

[Singletrack]

Originally Posted by kindafast2

Hey guys!

So here it is, a little long:
I got into a minor wreck and was told by my appraiser that this shop would be able to start working on my car ASAP! Unfortunately that was not the case.

Instead of ordering all the parts at once from day one, like it was written on the estimate, this shop put some of the items on order several weeks after the appraisal. And as I found out later there were still parts that they haven't ordered. It turned out (or at least this is what this shop told me) that a lot of these parts were on national back order and had to be special ordered from Germany.
More than a month down the road some of the parts are still not ordered, which were on the original appraisal dating to more than a month back. The shop's manager told me that some of the parts are still on back order, yet a few weeks earlier one of his employees told me they already had those parts... For the fifth week in a row, when I call, I keep hearing the same thing: "We can't promise you anything, but let's hope next week it will be ready".
One day I just got tired of waiting and "hoping", so I went over there and I inquired the manager about what I listed above, he immediately got defensive with me; I am paraphrasing him - "Do not talk to me like we are not doing anything here, we are finding more and more things wrong with your car, parts are on back order!". I clarified myself, that my problem was not with the new broken parts they found (that were not on the original appraisal) but with the ones on the FIRST appraisal that they started ordering weeks later, some of which are very common (wheel and tire) yet still not there. In addition I asked him why his employee told me one thing and he is telling me another.
This is how he replied: "I am done talking to you" and walked away. Keep in mind, this is the guy in charge there. I was very professional and calm from the start to the end of our converstaion. I knew that I would be putting him in the corner with those questions, but his reaction was totally uncalled for and completely unacceptable for someone who is supposed to run a business and deal with customers.
I called my insurance appraiser and told him what happened, that I wanted the car out of that shop immediately, and that I did not want them to work on my car anymore. The appraiser said that he understands me, but he can not do anything...

So here is where I need some advice:
Do I have any legal rights in this case? Or am I seriously supposed to idly sit by and "hope" that some shady a-hole fixes my M3?

Sorry for the long post, I thought I would make it as detailed as possible to get a good reply.

It's your car. Call a flatbed and have it moved to another shop. The guy sounds like an asshole, so why bother dealing with him again?

[e46e92love]

I just had a recent experience with my wife's E3 at a shop I have had MANY GREAT dealings with......like they didn't order the parts till the car was dropped off for the work, not when the appraisal was done and I committed to them for the work. Its like they ordered the parts AFTER they got the money from the insurance company.

Something tells me shops are beginning to get killed by BMW when they have to purchase parts upfront and not get paid till later.......seems like it has been that way in the past, but suddenly this is the second or third story that all sound the same, and two of them were from shops that the had GREAT history. My theory is, call the insurance company and tell them as long as they don't mind paying for a loaner, you don't mind waiting a few months for your car. That is what I did with my wife's X3, and the shop and the insurance company worked it all out

Cheers,
e46e92

[kindafast2]

Originally Posted by SergioPark

For me, I would lawyer up first and then have my lawyer deal with it from that point forward. However, I should point out that we have group legal at work, so I don't have an out of pocket.

I have a feeling a lawyer is going to cost a lot of money on this one. Do you think I could claim anything in small-claims?

You could try to work with your insurance company directly to have this resolved. You pay them a lot of money to handle your car issues and they should be able to help you get your car out of that shop and into a reputable one.

Exactly, which is why I was surprised at the appraiser telling me to wait it out...

Originally Posted by Singletrack

It's your car. Call a flatbed and have it moved to another shop. The guy sounds like an asshole, so why bother dealing with him again?

That's a good idea, I would do it in a heart beat if my insurance agreed to it.

Originally Posted by e46e92love

I just had a recent experience with my wife's E3 at a shop I have had MANY GREAT dealings with......like they didn't order the parts till the car was dropped off for the work, not when the appraisal was done and I committed to them for the work. Its like they ordered the parts AFTER they got the money from the insurance company.

Something tells me shops are beginning to get killed by BMW when they have to purchase parts upfront and not get paid till later.......seems like it has been that way in the past, but suddenly this is the second or third story that all sound the same, and two of them were from shops that the had GREAT history. My theory is, call the insurance company and tell them as long as they don't mind paying for a loaner, you don't mind waiting a few months for your car. That is what I did with my wife's X3, and the shop and the insurance company worked it all out

Cheers,
e46e92

My insurance company deals quickly with writing checks, if they did not do it on the day of the appraisal they sure did promise them an amount to cover the initial costs. In addition let's say the check arrived a few days later. Why have they not received the wheel or tire yet? The shop manager claims they are ordered and he is waiting... seriously for a stock rim and tire, still waiting five weeks later?

Besides these guys deal directly with BMW of my city and I am almost 100% sure they can get parts from them on account.

The issue isn't the time it's taking, but HOW the repairs are being handled, which seems to be a management issue rather than anything else

Originally Posted by SehrSchnell

That sucks, man! Is your car dismantled already? Could it be moved by a flatbed? I'd get it out of there, but they gonna be dicks about it...

Yeah it is dismantled. Getting a flatbed is easy, but my insurer doesn't want it to be repaired by another shop... that is where the problem is at the moment.

[kindafast2]

Originally Posted by SehrSchnell

The insurance can't tell you what shop to use. They might like to, but it is illegal in pretty much every state. You have the right to pick your own shop.

You are right, but the insurer told me this case was different because they already started working on my car.

[immiketoo]

Originally Posted by Singletrack

It's your car. Call a flatbed and have it moved to another shop. The guy sounds like an asshole, so why bother dealing with him again?

Good point. Nothing like the prospect of having to put it all back together without getting paid to speed up the process.

[SchnellM3]

Originally Posted by SehrSchnell

The insurance can't tell you what shop to use. They might like to, but it is illegal in pretty much every state. You have the right to pick your own shop.

Thats

[immiketoo]

Originally Posted by kindafast2

You are right, but the insurer told me this case was different because they already started working on my car.

You pay the insurance company. They work for you. Make sure they do you right or move on.

[Singletrack]

Originally Posted by immiketoo

Good point. Nothing like the prospect of having to put it all back together without getting paid to speed up the process.

Ehhhh - not exactly my point although it could have that effect. I really think he should move the car.

I have a simple philosophy on people not to rush - doctors and body shops...rushing in either profession can have pretty bad consequences : )

[Singletrack]

Originally Posted by kindafast2

You are right, but the insurer told me this case was different because they already started working on my car.

It is different - it's a going to be a huge pain in the ass for the shop and insurance to move the car. But neither one of them can prevent you from doing so...

Really sucks man - good luck to you.

[kindafast2]

Originally Posted by Singletrack

Ehhhh - not exactly my point although it could have that effect. I really think he should move the car.

I have a simple philosophy on people not to rush - doctors and body shops...rushing in either profession can have pretty bad consequences : )

I completely agree with you. Knowing the possible consequences, I hate rushing shops myself. However it was week after week that they had a story to why the repairs are delayed. Every week they had a new part to blame for it. First it was some suspension part that was not on the original estimate (which is totally cool by me, I was expecting them to find more problems after taking a more detailed look), then it was the airbags (they ordered them three weeks after the appraisal, on which they were included). Then it was the dash (three weeks after the appraisal on which it was included), Now it's the rim and the tire. They still haven't ordered the cracked strut... The problem here is not me rushing, but the shop delaying ordering the parts from day one.

I just had enough of it today and decided to question the guy in charge because his story did not correspond with what I saw at the shop and contradicted with what one of his employees told me earlier. Plus him getting defensive got me more suspicious, I am thinking there is something going on there with all these part orders being delayed so long.

Originally Posted by Singletrack

It is different - it's a going to be a huge pain in the ass for the shop and insurance to move the car. But neither one of them can prevent you from doing so...

Really sucks man - good luck to you.

So would the insurance deal with the balance owed to the shop? Could I be held accountable for taking my car without paying? Should I expect problems or higher costs from my insurer than my deductible for moving my car?

I would love to just get my car out of there first thing in the morning, I am more worried about it now than I was before my encounter with that manager.

[HighRevM]

What body shop are you dealing with?

[KIS]

While I would move my car, expect to get screwed for additional costs. I assume the original body shop will try to collect on time already spent on your car, then a new shop will have to start all over again.

[DBH]

Originally Posted by kindafast2

Hey guys!

So here it is, a little long:
I got into a minor wreck and was told by my appraiser that this shop would be able to start working on my car ASAP! Unfortunately that was not the case..

First point: the shop was recommended by the appraiser. I would be all over the appraiser and his supervisor to get this resolved ASAP.

Point two: three words - cash flow problems. The shop cannot pay for everything at once and is buying in dribs and drabs. He may or may not have gotten paid in full from the insurance company. Or, just bad cash flow management - gambling, drugs, trophy wife??

[pizzapie]

Yes, pulling the car will cost money. Yes, they will want to fight you on that since restocking all the parts to the dealer will cost 15% or something. Yes, the insurance works for you, but if THEY recommended a "preferred shop" or DRP (direct repair facility) the insurance should have some leverage to get things moving along not to mention responsibility for steering you in this shops direction. Either way it sounds like it is time to stir some kool aid!